Bennett has missed the last nine games with a lower-body injury, but will replace Joseph Blandisi in the lineup on Thursday. Bennett has just 10 points (3G / 7A) in 40 games this season.
Pickard allowed five goals on 33 shots in Colorado’s loss in Brooklyn on Sunday. Jeremy Smith started on Tuesday, so Pickard will go tonight in Buffalo. Pickard has lost three in a row while posting a 3.73 GAA and .879 SV%. He has yet to face the Sabres, but has gone 5-9-0 with a 3.07 GAA and .906 SV% on the road this season.
Fleury allowed four goals on 25 shots in the Penguins’ loss in Arizona last Saturday. It looks like Fleury will start the first game of the Penguins’ back-to-back tonight vs. the Jets. Since Matt Murray returned to the crease, Murray has started 29 games, to Fleury’s 17. Fleury has gone 8-5-4 with a 3.21 GAA and .901 SV% in those games.
Lehner allowed two goals on 41 shots in the Sabres’ win in Ottawa on Tuesday. Lehner will make his fifth consecutive start after going 2-2-0 with a 2.78 GAA and .931 SV% in the previous four. He is a must-start tonight vs. the NHL’s worst team in Buffalo—he has gone 6-9-3 with a 2.38 GAA and .928 SV% in 18 starts on home-ice.
Pelech has not recorded a point in five games and has just six points (1G / 5A) in 26 games with the Islanders. Pelech will be replaced by Scott Mayfield tonight.
Mayfield has been a healthy scratch for the last seven games, but will replace Adam Pelech in the lineup tonight. Mayfield hasn’t played a lot this season, but has produced when he draws into the lineup. The 24-year-old has averaged 12:38 TOI in eight games this season and has one goal and three assists on nine shots.
Antti Raanta started the Rangers’ win in Columbus on Monday, but Henrik Lundqvist has won five in a row while posting a 1.98 GAA and .946 SV%, so expect him to get the nod in Brooklyn. Lundqvist is 1-1-0 with a 3.58 GAA and .883 SV% in two starts vs. the Islanders, Raanta has not yet faced the Isles this season.
Greiss allowed six goals on 34 shots in the Islanders’ loss in Toronto on Tuesday. Greiss has lost three of his last five games while posting a terrible 4.10 GAA and .866 SV%. Greiss’ last few months has been full of ups and downs, but the Islanders will stick with him tonight vs. the Rangers. He is 11-4-1 with a 2.42 GAA and .918 SV% on home ice.
Howard suffered a setback during his second conditioning start with the Griffins and then another setback on Tuesday. Howard has been sidelined since December 20th and with the Red Wings’ season all but over, there’s no point in them rushing Howard back if his knee isn’t right. The Red Wings’ bye week starts after next Tuesday’s game vs. the Islanders.
Marner was hurt when he went hard into the side boards, but took his next shift before eventually retiring to the dressing room for the night. Marner played just 9:56 TOI and is questionable for Saturday’s game vs. the Senators. Monitor his status as the week progresses.
Allen allowed two goals on 30 shots in the Blues’ win in Montreal on Saturday. Carter Hutton shutout the Red Wings last night, but Allen will start Game No.2 of the back-to-back tonight vs. the Canucks. Allen has won three in a row and four of his last five while posting an impressive 1.40 GAA, .953 SV% and one shutout.
Luongo allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Panthers’ win in Nashville on Saturday. Luongo has struggled recently, but it looks like the Panthers’ offence is alive and well with Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup. Luongo has gone 6-7-4 with a 2.60 GAA and .915 SV% on the road this season.
Luongo allowed four goals on 30 shots in the Panthers’ win in Nashville on Saturday. Luongo has struggled recently, but it looks like the Panthers’ offence is alive and well with Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov back in the lineup. Luongo has gone 6-7-4 with a 2.60 GAA and .915 SV% on the road this season.
Korpisalo allowed four goals on 37 shots in the Blue Jackets’ win in New York on January 31st. It is a bit surprising that Sergei Bobrovsky isn’t starting, but Korpisalo will get a chance to face the man he replaced, Curtis McElhinney. Korpisalo is 3-1-0 with a 3.56 GAA and .893 SV% on the year.
Hutton stopped all 26 shots that he faced in the Blues’ shutout win in Philadelphia on February 6th. Hutton has started 15 games this season, but has appeared in a total of 23 and comes into Wednesday at 8-7-2 with a 2.66 GAA and .902 SV%. In his only career start against the Red Wings, he was pulled after allowing three goals on four shots.
Jones allowed one goal on 22 shots in the Sharks’ win in New Jersey on Sunday. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Jones, who is tied four fourth in the NHL in wins (28). In his first start against the Panthers, Jones stopped 22 shots in a 4-2 win.
Buchnevich has just one assist in his last 10 games and head coach Alian Vigneault called his play “so-so” and that will lead to him being replaced by Matt Puempel on Thursday.
Puempel has been a healthy scratch in four straight games, but will draw back into the lineup on Thursday. Puempel has six goals and one assist (seven points) in 18 games since being claimed from Ottawa. He will replace Pavel Buchnevich in the lineup.
